WCG Clinical last week announced it has unified its five separate IRBs under a single WCG IRB banner and launched a new IRB submission platform.

The five IRBs — formerly known as Western IRB (WIRB), Copernicus Group IRB, Midlands IRB, New England IRB and Aspire IRB — will now work as a single entity using the same processes and principles. 

“This is just one further example of our commitment to positively transform the clinical trial process while keeping patient safety as our highest priority,” said Donald A. Deieso, WCG Clinical’s CEO. 

The new Connexus platform, WCG IRB says, provides easier and more secure document submission for clients and allows them to track the status of their review through a process that is fully transparent. Through Connexus, WCG’s goal is “to improve the submission process, eliminate and reduce errors, and thereby achieve the highest ethical standards in the board review process,” says David Forster, WCG Clinical’s chief compliance officer. 

WCG's flagship IRB is celebrating its 52nd anniversary this year. Two more IRBs that WCG acquired were established in the 1980s, Midlands IRB in 1981 and New England IRB in 1989. Copernicus Group followed in 1996 and Aspire IRB in 2004. Together, the five IRBs represent more than 160 years of experience in ethical review and more than 200 review board members.

The newly unified WCG IRB will serve more than 3,100 institutions, including 150 academic medical centers.

Information on using Connexus is available at: https://bit.ly/345GGcR.